Dear Council Member Salaam,

As a concerned East Harlem resident, I am deeply distressed by, and strongly oppose the plan to set aside 99 housing units at Timgale Terrace for people with severe mental health and/or addiction problems. Since Covid, officials have made East Harlem a "dumping ground" for similar projects which have been rejected by other, more affluent, politically powerful neighborhoods because of their negative impact on residents. 

While we welcome a Latin/Jazz cultural facility, I urgently request you strongly oppose HDFC's coupling this with adding more people with severe problems to the neighborhood, especially those from other areas. Local senior residents currently have a great need for affordable housing.  

I personally know one physically challenged senior artist who lived all her adult life in Harlem and had to move to Queens to get affordable housing.  She has to spend considerable time commuting by Access a Ride to utilize her support systems, friends and relations here. 

HPD used the consensus from the East Harlem Visioning process, which requested supportive housing for our seniors, and distorted it to move New Yorkers with significant issues from other neighborhoods here. 

Local representatives must do just that -- represent local constituents. Therefore, I urgently request that you actively and strongly oppose this plan. Thank you.

Sincerely,

F. Seidenbaum